Save me
by hots4harry73
Summary: Harry is seriously ill and is taken care of by his potions professor. HarrySeverus fatherson relationship.
1. Default Chapter

**Save Me  
**by hotsforharry

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who so brilliantly have brought them to life.

WARNING! SPOILERS FOR OOTP!

Chapter One: The Rescue

It was an unusually anxious day at the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters in 12 Grimmauld Place. They were waiting for a letter from one Harry James Potter, to tell them that he was fine and his aunt and uncle were feeding him. Harry had done his part and sent a letter to the Order every three days for two and a half weeks now, but it had been four days since the last letter.

Remus Lupin was in the library pouring over Harry's letters to see if there was anything suspicious in them. He would stare at them for a couple of moments, jump up, start pacing in front of the window, then sit back down with the letters. The process then began again. Anyone watching would soon become dizzy.

At this current moment, Remus was again sitting in his chair with his brow furrowed. Most of Harry's letters went something like this:

_Dear Professor Lupin,_

_I am doing fine. The Dursleys are feeding me, so no need to worry. Well, I have to finish my homework. I hope I can see you soon._

_Harry_

He was just going over this for the eighth time, when the door opened and Severus Snape walked in. He looked at Remus and sneered, "The brat still hasn't replied then? Shouldn't be surprised with that father and mutt of a godfather."

Remus was much too tired to retaliate too violently, as the full moon was just the other day, so he settled for glaring at Snape and sending him a nasty comment. He had just opened his mouth when Hedwig, Harry's owl, flew through the window clutching a letter. It read:

_Dear Professor Lupin,_

_I am so sorry for sending this late. I woke up this morning to discover I'd slept for a whole day. Tell everyone I'm sorry for the worry I caused._

_Harry_

Remus closed his eyes in relief then ran to the kitchen to notify the rest of the Order that Harry seemed fine. But one thing still nagged on his mind.

When he had finished reading the letter aloud, most worries diminished, except for one. Molly Weasley was the one to voice it, "What does he mean he slept for a whole day? That isn't normal, even for a teenager!"

Dumbledore, as always, was the one who kept calm, "Well, why wouldn't he? He isn't the exact definition of normal, and after his traumatic experiences of last year, he certainly needs it."

For most of the Order, this statement ended whatever worries they may have had. However, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Remus Lupin, and surprisingly, Severus Snape were not convinced. They all stayed behind to discuss what they were going to do, but finally decided to wait and read the next letter.

The next three days were some of the slowest they had ever experienced. The third day came and went, as did the fourth, without anything from Harry.

On the dawn of the fifth day, they left for No. 4 Privet Drive to see what was going on. They portkeyed to the street and walked up to Harry's aunt and uncle's house and knocked on the door.

A few seconds later, pounding footsteps announced someone's approach. The door was wrenched open and what looked like a rhinoceros stuck his head out and barked out, "What do you want? Do you know the time!"

Trying to regain his composure from seeing Vernon, Snape answered, "We're here to see Potter."

"There is no Potter here!" Harry's uncle yelled. Remus frowned at this. He knew Harry's relatives didn't like him, but to deny his entire existence was going too far.

"What do you mean he isn't here? Of course he is! This is the Dursley residence, correct?" Remus demanded.

"The brat ran away! Ran away without a word, like the freak he is!"

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL HARRY A FREAK! NOW TELL ME WHERE HE IS!" Remus yelled. He was tired and worried, and this pathetic Muggle was insulting his best friend's son. Vernon remained stoically solid, though he looked to be trembling softly. This was the last straw for Remus and he launched at Vernon.

Upstairs, in Dudley's second bedroom, Harry Potter sat in a feverish daze. He didn't know how long he had been sitting. All he knew was heat…everywhere there was heat. Then, he heard noise from downstairs. It sounded like voices: familiar voices. He strained to hear, "…here…Potter…"

"There…no…"

"…mean…of course…Dursley…"

"…brat…ran away…freak…"

Suddenly the voices grew much louder, and Harry could make out what was said, "DON'T YOU DARE CALL HARRY A FREAK! NOW TELL ME WHERE HE IS!"

Next thing he heard was the sounds of a scuffle, then "Stupefy!"

Then, another voice, "Okay…spread…search…Remus…Arthur…"

Harry tried to process this. People were looking for him. Were they friendly? Yes, of course. They talked to Remus. _Okay_, he decided, _I'll stay here. Wait! What if-_ his thoughts were interrupted by the clicks of the locks on his door and the door opening. Footsteps entered the room, and then, "Harry?"

Harry raised his head to see who it was. There was Remus. He smiled and promptly fainted.


	2. Chapter Two

**Save Me  
by hots4harry73**

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who have so brilliantly brought them to life.

A/N: I just took a creative writing class at my high school, and it has finally given me the inspiration to finish this piece. I can't believe how much support I have received. I want to thank you all so much for your support and your extreme patience. Your encouragement means so much to me. Anywhere, here's a completely revamped and hopefully a little longer chapter two!

This chapter is dedicated to fragonknight01 due to some great advice three long years ago :)

No spoilers beyond OOTP.

Chapter Two

Fifteen locks were fixed onto the door in front of Remus, a cat flap down below. What kind of creature would they lock away like this? He listened intently through the door for any signs of a wild beast, but there was nothing but silence. Remus tuned into his werewolf sense for some guidance. His ears pricked up, his nose wrinkled. He could hear labored breathing and smell…human? What on earth? Why on earth would a human being be locked up? Unless…no…

"Alohamora!" and the locks flew open. He hurriedly pushed open the door and scurried in. He stood and gaped at the sight before him. There sat Harry in a bare and dingy room, with threadbare curtains covering the bars in the window. The bed upon which Harry sat was a pathetic spectacle: a ragged mattress with a thin pillow placed at the head. But that was not the worst part, however. Harry was in a terrible condition. He was sitting on the bed with skin as pale as death, flushed and sweating, yet still shivering. His dark, jet black hair lay plastered to his forehead. Remus cautiously called out to him, "Harry?"

Harry looked up, and Remus saw his eyes: haunted, lifeless and glazed with fever. Harry smiled up at him before collapsing backwards onto the bed.

Remus rushed over to the limp body and screamed at the top of his lungs, "Severus, get in here! Now!" A pounding up the staircase answered.

Snape appeared looking urgent. "What is it, wolf? We really don't have the time to be snooping through…"

He trailed off when he spotted the body laying beside Remus. He hurried over to Harry, pulling out his wand as he did so. As he began to cast the few diagnostic spells he knew, Molly and Arthur appeared. Molly attempted to get to Harry's side, but Arthur held her back, knowing that Snape was the best healer in their group.

After several tense minutes, Snape looked up. "Frankly I have no idea what is wrong with Potter. Nothing is showing up on my scans, but obviously there is something going on. I am loath to move him in this condition, and Poppy is still in Ireland with her daughter. It looks as if our best bet is to wake up Potter and interrogate him."

The three reluctantly nodded. "Do you have any idea as to what could be the matter, Severus?" Remus whispered.

Snape just glared at Remus and snarled, "If I had an idea, you would know by now!"

He then turned back to Harry ordering Arthur to grab some cold water from the bathroom.

"Water, Severus? Why don't we simply use a spell?" Remus queried.

"Because, wolf, that might interfere with whatever is attacking him! Diagnostic spells are harmless, but anything else could cause severe damage as long as we don't know what we are dealing with! Now shut up!"

Arthur returned with the water, and at a nod from Snape, poured it over Harry. Harry's eyes shot open, and he let out a yelp. He gave a confused glance to the four gathered around his bed, "Remus? Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, my poor boy. We've been worried sick about you. You haven't written to us in five days! We just knew something was wrong, and by the look of you we weren't wrong. You should have told us that you weren't feeling well; we could have helped," Molly scolded softly.

"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley," he croaked before letting out a hacking cough.

"Enough of this emotional nonsense," Snape snapped. "Potter. Have you consumed anything unusual in the past two weeks? Anything taste odd, smell off?"

"No, sir. Why? I've only got the flu; there's really no need for all this fuss. It goes away, it always does."

"Potter, you haven't got the flu. You have something that even my diagnostic tests can't identify. You need to tell us what has happened to you that is even the slightest bit out of the ordinary. Now!"

"I'm sorry, but nothing odd has happened at all. I've eaten my usual things, you know, bread and pastries from Mrs. Weasley. I think maybe some cold medicine I pinched from the bathroom cabinet."

Snape scowled. There had to be something… But if Potter really hadn't eaten anything odd this summer, what was this illness from. Unless… "Potter, were you hit with any spells at the Department of Mysteries? Hurry up, boy!"

"I, uh, I'm not quite sure. It's all such a blur…well, actually there was one spell. I tried to block it, but it went straight through. It didn't do anything to me though, so I forgot about it til now." Harry erupted into a coughing fit again.

Concerned flashed briefly through Snape's eyes. "What did the spell look like, Potter?"

"Well, er, I think it was a murky brown color. Why? You don't think that's what's given me the flu, do you, sir?

At the mention of brown, Snape knew what had to be ailing Harry, and by the looks of the other's faces, they knew too.

"Oh, no, not Harry…no, he can't…" Molly whimpered, her eyes teary. Arthur pulled her close.

"Nothing is certain yet, my dear. There is still a chance," he tried to reassure her.

"What's going on, Mr. Weasley? Why is Mrs. Weasley so upset? What was that spell? What have I got?" Harry questioned frantically, starting to panic.

"Ignore her, Potter. It's not the end of the world," Snape sneered, though inwardly disagreeing with his statement. It wouldn't do to get Potter too pessimistic; that certainly wouldn't help him recover. "In all likelihoods, you've got punctim novacula."

There was a silence in which the four hovering around Harry's bed watched him carefully, waiting for him to collapse in hysterics. All they received was a highly confused look.

"What's punctim novacula?"

"Oh my poor boy," Molly whispered.

"Stop with the melodramatics, Weasley. Potter, punctim novacula is a disease caused by the exact spell you described. It has three stages: Grippa, Novacula Cardiacus and lastly Mors. Grippa involves the symptoms you are experiencing right now or will be shortly: high fever, coughing, vomiting, sore throat, hallucinations. It then advances into Novacula Cardiacus, a stage in which the previous symptoms continue and the victim's stomach will experience a sensation known as "stabbing knives," where the disease gets his name. After a period of time depending on the strength of the victim, punctim novacula moves onto its next stage," here Snape paused for effect. "Death."


	3. Chapter Three

**Save Me  
**by hots4harry73

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who have so brilliantly brought them to life.

A/N: didn't sent out an update alert about the last chapter, but **chapter two is completely revamped.** You'll want to read that first, or this could be a tad confusing.

No spoilers beyond OOTP.

Chapter Three

The heavy silence was broken by Harry's weak voice, "But i-it won't get to that will it? You know what's wrong with me, and you can just give me a potion and I'll be fine, right?"

"I'm afraid, Harry, that it's not that simple," Arthur uneasily responded. "I think Professor Snape could explain it to you the best."

Snape was silent, gazing at the wall above Harry's head with a thoughtful look on his face. He was brought out of his musings as Harry looked up at him, "Professor?"

"I am endeavoring to think of a way to explain that even a simpleton like you would be able to understand, Potter," he snarled impatiently. "Now, what do you know of muggle DNA?"

"Um, I've heard of it, but I wasn't in muggle school long enough to actually learn too many details about it, sir. B-but what does this have to do with this punctal novum thing?" Harry questioned, his eyes feverish and confused.

"Punctim novacula, Potter, and I will get to that if you would cease with your impatience!" Snape sighed loudly before his voice took on a lecturing tone, "DNA is the molecule that carries genetic information. If a mutation occurs, disease, or at least increased risk of disease, arises. Witches and wizards have this DNA as well as a magical DNA, called veneficus-deoxyribonucleic acid, or V-DNA. It reacts in much the same manner as DNA when mutations occur."

Here Snape had to pause while he waited for Harry to stop coughing. When Harry had collapsed back against his pillow, Snape continued.

"This is where punctim novacula comes in. The brown spell that hit you caused a mutation in your V-DNA, causing the disease you currently have. Unfortunately, little is known beyond that. The disease usually moves too quickly from the first onset of symptoms for much useful research on a cure to be accomplished."

"A-are you saying that…that there's no hope?" Harry stuttered.

Molly let out a loud sob, prompting Arthur to pull her close. Snape sneered at the emotional scene.

"Unfortunately, Potter, you have such adoring fans who will exhaust themselves in researching a cure and enough pure luck that you will undoubtedly pull through. Though one can always hope," Snape scathingly replied. "Now enough of this nonsense. You, Potter, are going to lie down and sleep while we figure out what to do with you."

Harry glared up at his professor, but finding himself too tired to argue, he turned on his side and attempted to get comfortable as Molly, Arthur and Remus reluctantly left the room. Harry let his eyes fall shut and tried to ignore how cold he felt. He pulled his threadbare blanket closer and shivered.

He heard a sigh and a whisper before his blanket thickened and warmed. His eyes shot open in shock to see the retreating back of his Potions Professor. He stared in wonder and confusion, but decided he was much too tired to puzzle out Snape. He drifted off into a troubled and feverish sleep, oblivious to the fighting going on out in the corridor.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Snape joined the others out in the hall, troubled as to why he had bothered to fix Potter's blanket. He shook his head, what was getting into him. No, there's nothing to read into it; he was simply caring for the comfort of a sick child. That was all. He turned his attentions outward to the harsh whispers coming from Molly and Remus.

"We'll take him. He can stay in Percy's old room; it's across the hall from our bedroom, and I know plenty about sick children from my own offspring, enough to ensure Harry's comfort. Yes, it is best for Harry for him to come home to the Burrow," Molly whispered fiercely.

"No, I will not allow him to spend the last days of his life away from me! I am the only one he has left. He will come and stay with me at Grimmauld Place. Tonks and I can take care of him well enough by ourselves," Remus argued, his eyes flashing.

"Silence!" Snape thundered. "Weasley, wolf. There is no need for this irksome and childish spat. Potter will be coming with me, away from childish pranks, loud noises, and wolves howling on the full moon! I am the only one here who knows the intricate details of this disease, and the only one with a fully-stocked potion lab on hand. There will be no questions about it. The matter is settled."

"How dare you? I will not allow Harry to die being belittled and bullied by the likes of you! He deserves to be with me!" Remus screamed in response, not even attempting to be quiet.

Snape snarled at the werewolf, but stopped mid-step forward as he noticed the whole Dursley family, minus the big whale, congregated at the top of the staircase pale and staring in astonishment. A big grin broke out on the face of the short blonde pig.

"Potter's dying? Can I see? I –" he broke off suddenly at the looks of pure venom on the faces in front of him. He squealed and scurried behind his mother, cowering in fright.

"It's true? The boy's really dying?" Petunia queried with an odd look in her eyes. At the slight nod from Remus, she continued, "Well, then. He needs to leave right now. I don't care where you take him, as long as he is as far away from here as possible. My Dinky Duddydums doesn't need to see death at this stage in his life. It would traumatize him even more than that boy has already done with his foolish wand-waving and D-d-dementors!"

"At least we are agreed on one thing. Potter will not be staying here any longer. Now if you would take your _son_ downstairs, we have things to discuss," Snape turned away to speak to the others. "Lupin, I need you to contact Dumbledore, tell him to meet me at my home. Weasley, I think it would be best if you took your wife home and broke the news to your children. I will contact you if I need your assistance."

Snape turned and stalked back into Harry's room, shutting the door in their faces.


End file.
